School year coming to end for 16 Florida counties. Others have to wait a little longer. See list
Most counties will keep students in school until next week, with the school year ending sometime during the week following the Memorial Day holiday.
Students in seven counties will stay in school until early June.
For counties where school is still in session, all students will be off for the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 26.
Meanwhile, a state law that required later start times for middle and high school students beginning in the 2026-2027 school year may not happen.
Columbia: May 23 last day of school
Escambia: May 23 last day of school
Gadsden: May 23 last day of school
Hamilton: May 23 last day of school
Hardee: May 23 last day of school
Highlands: May 23 last day of school
Jackson: May 23 last day of school
Jefferson: May 23 last day of school
Lafayette: May 23 last day of school
Leon: May 23 last day of school
Madison: May 22 last day of school
Suwannee: May 23 last day of school
Taylor: May 29 last day of school
Union: May 23 last day of school
Wakulla: May 23 last day of school
Washington: May 23 last day of school
Alachua: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 3 last day of school
Baker: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Bay: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Bradford: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Brevard: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Broward: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 5 last day of school
Calhoun: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Charlotte: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Citrus: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Clay: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Collier: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Columbia: May 23 last day of school
DeSoto: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Dixie: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 2 last day of school
Duval: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Escambia: May 23 last day of school
Flagler: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Franklin: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Gadsden: May 23 last day of school
Gilchrist: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Glades: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Gulf: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Hamilton: May 23 last day of school
Hardee: May 23 last day of school
Hendry: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Hernando: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Highlands: May 23 last day of school
Hillsborough: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Holmes: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Indian River: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Jackson: May 23 last day of school
Jefferson: May 23 last day of school
Lafayette: May 23 last day of school
Lake: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Lee: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 3 last day of school
Leon: May 23 last day of school
Levy: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Liberty: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Madison: May 22 last day of school
Manatee: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Martin: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Miami-Dade: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 5 last day of school
Monroe: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Nassau: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Okaloosa: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Okeechobee: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Orange: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Osceola: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Palm Beach: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Pasco: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Pinellas: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Polk: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Putnam: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Santa Rosa: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Sarasota: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 29 last day of school
Seminole: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
St. Johns: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
St. Lucie: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 2 last day of school
Sumter: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. June 3 last day of school
Suwannee: May 23 last day of school
Taylor: May 29 last day of school
Union: May 23 last day of school
Volusia: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 28 last day of school
Wakulla: May 23 last day of school
Walton: Closed May 26 for Memorial Day. May 30 last day of school
Washington: May 23 last day of school
In 2023, a law was passed in Florida that said high schools could not start earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools could not start earlier than 8 a.m. The law is supposed to take effect in the 2026-2027 school year.
That new law is now coming under fire and may not happen. "Overwhelming" feedback from school districts revealed that implementing the change could cost the districts big to buy new buses and hire more, already-hard-to-find bus drivers.
Senate Bill 296, which will go before Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature, provides an exemption from the required change to later school start times if the local school board or district submits a report to the state by June 1, 2026 with the following information:
Current school start times of schools in the district
Documentation of strategies considered to implement later start times for middle and high schools
Description of the impacts of implementing later start times.
What the "unintended consequences" of implementing the later start times would be.
SB 296 passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate.
in 2025, there are 12 instead of the usual 11 federal holidays, although two — Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day — fell on the same day.
Here are 2025 federal holidays:
Jan. 1: New Year's Day
Jan. 20: Inauguration Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 17: Washington's Birthday. Many state and local governments designation it as Presidents Day.
May 26: Memorial Day
June 19: Juneteenth
July 4: Independence Day
Sept. 1: Labor Day
Oct. 13: Columbus Day
Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Nov. 27: Thanksgiving Day
Dec. 25: Christmas Day
The Florida Department of Management Services lists the following days observed as paid holidays by state agencies:
➤ See list of 2025 Florida, federal holidays, including new one for Sunshine State
Jan. 1, Wednesday: New Year's Day
Jan. 20, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
May 26, Monday: Memorial Day
July 4, Friday: Independence Day
Sept. 1, Monday: Labor Day
Nov. 11, Tuesday: Veterans Day
Nov. 27, Thursday: Thanksgiving
Nov. 28: Friday after Thanksgiving
Dec. 25, Thursday: Christmas Day
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: When is the last day of school in Florida? See list by county
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Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
State's record red maple rooted in family legacy
Aug. 9—LAFARGEVILLE — When fertilized with a dash of patriotic fervor rooted in next year's semiquincentennial celebration of our country, a scenario blossoms on the origin of the largest red maple in New York. The New York State Big Tree Register is maintained by the Department of Environmental Conservation to recognize trees of record size and to promote an interest in learning about the trees we may come in contact with every day. The majestic tree in LaFargeville, the only tree of any species on the state register in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, as of the summer of 2023 when measured, stood at 84 feet tall. The same family, through generations, has cared for it and admired it. The Big Tree Register notes that the previous record, recorded in 2015, was a red maple in Dutchess County, at 104 feet tall. American Forests, which runs the National Champion Trees Program, is the authority for determining which tree species are eligible for champion status. Nominated trees are measured to calculate a total point score, which is the sum of the tree's height in feet, the trunk circumference in inches at 4.5 feet off the ground, and one quarter of the tree's average crown spread in feet. The circumference of the LaFargeville tree is 226.8 inches, compared to 220 inches of the previous champion red maple. The local red maple also beat the Dutchess County tree in "Crown (canopy) points." County tax records show that the Revolutionary War veteran Conrad Walts, born May 5, 1763, in Montgomery, Orange County, constructed his home on the property he shared with the now-record tree in 1835. Experts say the tree is at least 200 years old. Conrad was young when he joined the cause of the rebels in the Revolutionary War, fought from 1775-1783. His military pension records show he enlisted in the spring of 1779, when he was 13. He served with the 4th New York Regiment for nine months and was discharged Jan. 1. 1780 at Morristown, New Jersey. According to the National Park Service, the 4th New York Regiment, organized in 1777, served to the end of 1780. It included the remnants of various regiments raised for the 1775 Canadian invasions. Originally raised in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Suffolk counties, by 1777 the 4th Regiment was recruited from all parts of the state. "There is definitely potential overlap between when the tree was planted and Conrad," said Alexander R. Walts, current owner of the homestead. Conrad was Alex's great-grandfather, times-five. Conrad was 71 in 1835 when he built his home. Perhaps thinking of a legacy, or maybe just wanting to create some shade, he carefully placed the red maple sapling in a hole and tended to it on his land through the years, watching it grow up and out. Or maybe the tree's seed was carried on the wind, or buried by a squirrel and in time, admired by Conrad. Regardless, the result is more than something for the record book, said Walts. "It's as much part of the property's legacy as the buildings and the house," he said. "All of my living relatives who grew up there have fond memories of playing under and in the tree growing up." That legacy is what prompted Walts to talk to experts about how to best care for the tree. In turn, that led him to the DEC's Big Tree Register program, previously unknown to him. "Restoring the house and caring for the landmarks like the tree are what I consider part of the legacy I'll leave behind for my daughter and generations after her," Walts said. Walts was born and raised in Rochester. He and his wife, Katherine (Katie) B. Lenninger moved to LaFargeville a couple of years ago to settle down and to raise a family after skipping around the country — from Florida, Maryland and Texas — for colleges and work. They have an 18-month-old daughter. The couple moved to the LaFargeville area from Houston. "We wanted to be closer to family who are still in upstate New York," Alex said. "We were looking to settle down and start a family and realized we don't need to buy a house; we have one in the family that's been sitting there for quite some time." Katie, a Florida native, is a research meteorologist. Alex is an aerospace engineer who helps support NASA's Human Spaceflight Program at Johnson Space Center in Houston. When not working remotely, they are tasked with revitalizing the family home. "I'm down there just about every day trying to refurbish it and to bring it back to its former glory," Alex said. The home has been empty since the mid-1970s. Alex said the last generation to reside in it was his great-grandfather, Ozro E. Walts. "My grandfather and his siblings were born and raised there but didn't spend their entire lives there." Ozro was born in Theresa in 1893, son of Charles and Ada Fuller Walts. Ozro operated the family farm until retiring in 1974 and died at the age of 91 in 1984 after living for 10 years with his children in Monroe County. His wife, the former Emma Rohrmoser, daughter of a well-known local farmer and cheese maker who was born in Germany, died in 1974. Alex's third-great-grandfather, Nelson G. Walts, who died at the homestead at the age of 75 in 1906, was a Civil War veteran. In 1864, at the age of 33, he enlisted with Company E., 186th New York Regiment of volunteers and was engaged in the war's final battles, including the battle and siege of Petersburg, Virginia. "He escaped without wounds, although his gun stock was shot from his hand and a piece of shell carried away the sleeve of his coat," his Aug. 7, 1906, obituary read in the Watertown Daily Times. One of the six children born to Nelson G. Walts and his wife, Minerva (Simmons), was Nelson E. Walts, who attended Potsdam Normal School and had a long career as a teacher before retiring and becoming a farmer on the homestead. Nelson E. died in 1951 at the age of 87. Alex is the son of Robert H. O. Walts, Rochester, who is the son of the late Robert C. Walts. Alex said that his ancestral home has withstood time rather well. Hemlock, especially old-growth hemlock, is known for its strength, stability and resistance to decay. "It has stayed in its form all these years," Alex said. "Of course, generations here and there have added an addition to the back porch or the front, but the core of the original house is still standing. It has stayed in the family since it was built." Alex recalled visiting the house with his father, especially after his grandfather moved out of it. "We would always come up to work on the house and maintain it to make sure it wasn't going to fall down. Nobody was living there, but we were out at least once a month to check on the place for any issues." The red maple, Alex said, was a constant source of questions for his father and grandfather from people who were impressed by it. "The tree has seen a lot in its time and has survived multiple ice storms, lightning strikes, etcetera." He added, "It's one of those things where the tree is as much part of the history of the property as is the house or anything else there." That includes the Walts family legacy — still growing, still steady, and establishing new roots, on common ground. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
05-08-2025
- New York Times
After 50 Years of Writing, Jamaica Kincaid Insists She's Still an Amateur
In June, I visited Jamaica Kincaid at her home in Vermont, and not long after we met, she walked me over to a bust of Thomas Jefferson looming over a shaded corner of her garden, introducing me to him like he was an old friend or a hostage. 'Very controversial, but we will explain,' she said. 'When summer is over, he spends the winter in the basement.' Then, she showed me a plant called the twin-leaf, which has one frond divided into two nearly identical leaflets. 'The two halves are not identical — is that Jefferson or no?' Kincaid asked, showing me the fraternal leaves with professorial wonder and not a small amount of delight. Its scientific name, Jeffersonia diphylla, was given to it by the botanist Benjamin Smith Barton, one of Thomas Jefferson's contemporaries, 'before anyone thought of his twin nature,' she said, of the president's duality. Kincaid is an admirer of Jefferson's writing on horticulture, so when she discovered this plant, it appealed to her; she saw that it spoke to his fundamental contradiction as both a theorist of democratic liberty and slaver. 'One has to contemplate these histories,' Kincaid said. 'And so, I find him a good person to have a conversation with.' At 76, Kincaid is both youthful and monumental, a down-to-earth person possessed of a towering intellect. Although she has shrunk some over the years, she still stands at nearly six feet. Her dark brown hair was parted down the center of her scalp, woven into two cute plaits, little commas curling near her shoulders. She wore a silver watch with the clock face on the inside of her wrist as a tribute to her late father. Her laugh, which I heard often, was filtered through her accent, an undulating Antiguan inflection that swayed like a gently rocked boat. Kincaid's sprawling garden sits on a bountiful property in North Bennington, beside a house originally built and inhabited by Robert H. Woodworth, a pioneer of time-lapse photography. Here she begins developing her ideas, influenced by the cultivated wildness outside. In an essay included in her new book, 'Putting Myself Together: Writing, 1974-,' to be published on Aug. 5 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, she asserts that, rather than creating a garden in the conventional way — overdetermined by the gardener's expectations — she favors a looser approach. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Post
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Inside ‘busy season' for hero local Coast Guard crew
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